Concerns grow over Rutherford

Last Updated: July 21 2013, 16:23 BST

Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford's hopes of being fit for next month's World Championships have suffered a setback after he was forced to pull out of next weekend's Sainsbury's Anniversary Games.

Rutherford has not competed since suffering a hamstring injury 15 days ago and UK Athletics confirmed he would not be ready to return for the event at the Olympic Stadium.

He said: "I'm still recovering from the hamstring injury I've picked up at the Diamond League meeting in Paris. Due to this I'm not ready yet to compete at the Sainsbury's Anniversary Games."

The 26-year-old still hopes to be fit for the World Championships, which get under way in Moscow on August 10.

He was not named in the Great Britain team this week, but has been given longer to recover, with the long jump selection announcement being delayed until July 30.

The pick, which is between him and Chris Tomlinson, is at the discretion of performance director Neil Black, who has said the Olympic champion does not have to compete to prove his fitness.

Rutherford was due to compete alongside fellow London 2012 gold medallists Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis-Hill at the Anniversary Games on Saturday in a re-creation of 'Super Saturday', the day on which they all took gold in the space of 45 minutes last summer. Next Saturday marks a year to the day since the opening ceremony of the Olympics.

Rutherford added: "Super Saturday was one of the greatest moments in British athletics history. I have no doubt the Sainsbury's Anniversary Games will be a great event with some exceptional performances once again.

"It'll be hard to see my competitors out there, but I'm working as hard as I can to be ready for the World Championships in Moscow."

Ennis-Hill's participation is also in question because of her ankle injury, which has so far prevented her from returning to the track.